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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing November 2024 as National Adoption Month to demonstrate appreciation for the adoptive families and social workers who provide permanency to children in need throughout Solano County (Chair Mashburn)
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _ X_
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _ X_
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt and present a resolution recognizing November 2024 as National Adoption Month to demonstrate appreciation for the adoptive families and social workers who provide permanency to children in need throughout Solano County.
SUMMARY:
November is “National Adoption Month,” and Solano County has a long tradition of formally recognizing and appreciating the adoptive families who provide permanency to children in need, and the committed child welfare staff who facilitate and support these life-changing connections. The Solano County Adoption Month resolution helps to increase awareness about adoption in the community and inspire all towards excellence in achieving permanency for youth.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing this agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget. The costs associated with preparation and purchase of the resolution materials are included in the Board’s FY2024/25 Working Budget. There is no additional financial impact on the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
Adoption is a journey filled with love, hope, and resilience. It is a journey undertaken by individuals and families who understand the power of unconditional love and the profound difference it can make in a child’s life. Whether through international adoption, domestic adoption, or foster care adoption, the act of welcoming a child into one’s family is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. For over two decades, National Adoption Month has been promoted and celebrated every November in communities across the country. Many national, state, and local agencies, as well as foster, kinship care, and adoptive family groups help educate their communities through programs, events and activities that aim to raise awareness about the thousands of children and youth currently in foster care who are waiting for their own permanent, loving families.
According to the most recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, over 560,000 children were served by the foster care system in the United States during FFY2021/22 with California serving the largest population. Nearly 109,000 children in the United States were waiting to be adopted in FFY2021/22. In addition, more than one in five children waiting for adoption were between the ages of 13 and 17 years, and the average age of a child waiting to be adopted was 7.6 years old. These children waiting for adoption spend an average of 34.9 months in care, with those waiting after parental rights termination spending 19.1 months in care.
Data from the California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP), a collaborative venture between the University of California at Berkeley and the California Department of Social Services, indicates that there were nearly 70,000 foster care cases and over 45,000 children in foster care in California as of July 1, 2023. Additionally, racial/ethnic disparities persist across national, state, and local child welfare systems: American Indian/Alaska Native children are three times as likely to enter foster care than White children nationally, and Black/African American children are four times as likely to enter foster care than White children in California.
According to AdoptUSKids, a national project that supports child welfare systems and connects children in foster care with families, each year approximately 20,000 foster youth in the United States will age out of the foster care system without a forever family or permanent home. This number reminds us of the struggles facing our child welfare system in achieving permanency for youth. National Adoption Month aims to create awareness and provide forever families to as many children as possible.
The national theme for 2024 is "Honoring Youth: Strengthening Pathways for Lasting Bonds," and underscores the importance of nurturing solid, supportive relationships that enable youth to build resilience and overcome challenges. Child Welfare Services’ staff are instrumental in guiding youth on this path by creating spaces to express their needs, engage in decision-making, and form lasting connections with families and communities that reflect their backgrounds and values.
There are approximately 82 children currently in Solano County who have been referred for adoption services. In 2023, Child Welfare Services finalized 52 adoptions. During this program year, 37 children have been adopted, with an additional 13 pending adoption finalizations by the end of the calendar year.
Solano County continues to use adoptive profiles and creative search engagements for adoptive families for youth. It encourages adoptive families to establish long-term, meaningful connections with youth. This approach recognizes that by honoring every youth and their network, we work toward an adoption journey imbued with meaning and purpose, paving the way for healing, well-being, and long-term stability.
National Adoption Month is a reminder that every child and young person deserves a loving and nurturing home. This November, Solano celebrates the spirit of adoption and honors the families that choose to open their hearts to children and provide them with the love, support, and stability that they deserve. Doing so enriches the Solano community with the invaluable gift of shared growth and connection.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors may choose not to adopt the resolution. This is not recommended because National Adoption Month provides an opportunity to celebrate with adoptive parents who open their homes and hearts to children in need and to recognize Solano County staff and other professionals who assist children in finding permanent homes.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION